Island



(No Model.)

H. P. HUNT. Carriage-Curtain Fastener.

No, 228,536. P afiented .iune 8,1880.

I IMP N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON n c UNrrEn STATES ATENI ii FFIEs HOMER P. HUNT, OF PROVIDENCE, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE F. WILSON, OF

' EAST PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

CARRIAGE-CURTAIN FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,536, dated June 8, 1880.

Application filed April 27, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER P. HUNT, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Carriage-Curtain Fasteners, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention has reference to the fasteners for securing the edges of curtains to the frames of carriages or wagons, or to a covering of said frames, and is intended as an improvement on the device described in thepatent of George F. WVilson, No. 211,287, dated January 7,1879.

The said device consists, in general, of a spurred barrel turning upon the shank of a screw which forms the support or arbor of the barrel and attaches it to the carriage-frame or to the covering thereof, and operating in con nection with a grommet fastened to the curtain and provided with a slot communicating with the central opening, so that the grommet being placed over the spurred barrel the spur passes through said slot, and the barrel being then turned the curtain is held by the contact of the spur with the outer surface of the grommet.

In order to keep the fastening from becoming unloosened by the turning of the spurred barrel and to prevent rattling, a piece of rubber, leather, or similar material is placed on the grommet diametrically opposite the slot, so that when the barrel is turned to fasten the curtain the spur bears against the rubber or leather surface. The barrel is confined between the head of the screw and a metal washer, and the screw is shouldered to prevent its insertion into the carriage frame or covering so far as to clamp the barrel and prevent its turnin In the present invention there is a spurred barrel turning on the supporting-arbor formed by the shank of an attaching-screw and operating in connection with a grommet with a central opening and slot, substantially as described in the aforesaid patent, and the metal washer is preferably, and the shouldered screw may be, employed. The barrel, however, in-

stead of being permitted simply to turn, is allowed, also, a limited endwise movementon the shank of the screw, and is combined with a (No model.)

spring, which tends to force it away from the 0 head of the screw, so that in use the spur is held by yielding pressure against the outer surface of the grommet with sufficient force to prevent rattling or the accidental turning of the barrel. The piece of rubber or similar material on the grommet, before used, is not therefore required, and is dispensed with.

In connection with the spurred barrel held by yielding pressure an incline or cam ridge on the outer surface of the grommet is employed, the object being to effect, when the barrel is turned, the compression of the spring, so as to cause the spur to bear with the required pressure.

The barrel is preferably constructed so that when introduced into the grommet the spur can be readily turned until it begins to rise on the incline or cam ridge, when the barrel is forced toward the head of the screw, compressing the spring sul'liciently for the purpose intended. The spring employed is formed of spiral wire surrounding the shank of the screw and inclosed in the bore of the barrel, which is for the purpose enlarged, except at the bottom, where an internal shoulder is left to serve as a bearin g for one end of the spiral spring, of which the' other end presses against the head of the screw.

The advantages of my improved device reside in its efficiency, cheapncss, and simplicity. No adjustment is required. The screw may be inserted more or less, within limits, of course, and the spring will still maintain its pressure and prevent rattling as well when the curtain is rolled up and the fasteners are not in use as when they are employed to retain the edges of the curtains in position.

The engagement and disengagement of the fasteners can be readily effected. Thereis no liability of the parts to get out of order or to 0 wear and become loose.

The accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, illustrate the construction of carriage-curtain fasteners made in accordance with this invention.

Figure l is a top or plan view; Fig. 2, a view in elevation and section, and Figs. 3 and 4 de tail views.

' central opening or a slot, as shown.

A represents a portion of the frame of the carriage, and B 'a part of the curtain. latter the grommet G is secured. This is composed of two plates, 0 c, which are held in position by prongs, forming a part of one of them, which prongs are passed through the fabric of the curtain and bent over the edges of the other plate. Both plates are provided with a On the outer plate, 0, is the incline or cam ridge. (Represented by 0 Itis formed by striking up the metal of the outer plate, but may be otherwise made, if desired, although this mode of forming it is preferred.

D is the screw, of ordinary or suitable form; E, the barrel, from the side of which projects the spur F; G, the spring, and H a metallic washer. The spur F projects from the side of the barrel at a distance from the bottom thereof about equal to the thickness of the curtain and grommet. On the interior of the barrel, at the bottom, is the shoulder e.

The head of the screw D should be square or flat on the under side. The grommet, the barrel, and washer, and head of the screw are ordinarily japanned, enameled, or otherwise protected and ornamented, which can be readily effected.

To secure the stationary part of the device to the frame of the carriage the spring is placed over the screw, which is inserted in the barrel and passed through the opening in the washer, and then driven into the wood till the bead of the head of the screw and the edge of the barrel are separated by a short distance, sufllcient to permit the required endwise movement of the barrel.

To fasten the curtain the grommet is placed over the barrel, and this is turned so that the spur is acted upon by the incline or ridge on the grommet compressing the spring, which retains the barrel in position and prevents rattling of the grommet, as already explained.

To attach the stationary part of the device to the covering of the frame a nut for the end of the screw is employed andin this connection it would probably be advantageous to em- In this ploy a shouldered screw, so as to clamp the flexible covering between its surface and that of the nut. A shouldered screw is not ordinarily used, and I have not therefore shown it.

Having thus fully described my said invention and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination, with a suitable grommet having on its outer surface an incline or cam ridge, of the spurred -barrel support or arbor, and a spring connected with said barrel, substantially as described.

2. The barrel having at one end an internal shoulder and provided with a spur projecting from the outside at a suitable distance from the end at which the said shoulder is placed, and all formed in one piece, as and for the purposes set forth.

The combination of an attaching-screw, a spurred barrel with an internal shoulder sup ported and turning on the shank of said screw, and a spiral spring surrounding said shank within said barrel and arranged to hear at one end against the under side of the head of the screw and the other against the internal shoulder of the barrel, thus acting to force said barrel away from the head of the screw.

4. The combination of a suitable grommet having on its outer surface an incline or cam ridge, a spurred barrel capable of turning, and having also a limited endwise n'lovement, a support or arbor for said barrel, and a spiral spring, substantially as described.

A gronnnet provided with a central oped ing and slot communicating therewith and having on its outer surface an incline or cam ridge formed integral with the outer of the two metal plates composing said grommet, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOMER P. HUNT.

\Vitnesses:

CHARLES GREENE, HENRY A. GREENE. 

